The forthcoming major engineering works around Westbury ( autumn / winter 2024 )

[Peter Mugridge]

I'm trying to puzzle out of all the details of the imminent major works around Westbury, but constantly cross-referencing between the SWR and the GWR websites is giving me a real headache and I can't find any straightforward summary details on this forum either; just mentions here and there about certain aspects of the work.

Is there anyone who is able to summarise very simply the extent of the works and any route closures and diversions involved in this project, please?

 

[Benjwri]

The entirety of Westbury Station will be closed, along with the line through Warminster. Trains will spin at Trowbridge, Salisbury and Frome, depending on their route. There will be very limited service to Melksham, and the line between Westbury and Salisbury for the entire period.

The avoiding line will remain open, with London trains calling at Frome instead of Westbury.

There will also be a limited number of services which divert by reversing at Heywood Road Junction.

 

[158760]

Westbury South Jn is being completely relayed as it was last done in the 80s just before the PSB opened and always seems to be failing. The original plan involved all trains on Gloucester - Weymouth reversing at Heywood Road but that seems to have been scrapped and it’s now bustitution. I believe all the service changes have been helpfully summarised above.

 

[Snow1964]

Works commence 27 Dec (there are no trains 25, 26 Dec anyway), and continue until Thursday 23 January 2025

Track renewal work will affect all train services via Westbury, plus structural repairs will also impact trains between Warminster and Salisbury.

Trains between Reading and the south west will stop at Frome instead of Westbury.

Trains will still operate between:

• Cardiff Central and Trowbridge
• Salisbury and Portsmouth Harbour
• Frome and Weymouth

Note that some of the services above also have other closures along part of their route in the few weeks before and after

• Bristol - Bath - Westbury - Sunday 27 to Thursday 31 October
• Theale - Westbury Tuesday 10 to Thursday 12 December
• Fareham to Portsmouth Harbour – Saturday 15 to Friday 21 February
• Castle Cary to Yeovil Pen Mill – Monday 10 to Friday 14 March

A few trains will be diverted via an alternative route between Trowbridge and Frome – not stopping at Westbury. (Reversing at Heywood Road Junction and using the avoiding line) eg 06:18 Yeovil-Bristol, 06:38 Weymouth-Bristol. Probably one of the rarest is 17:01 Severn Beach - Weymouth on 27th Dec only.

Trains between Westbury and Swindon (via Melksham) will not run, however other trains will still be running between Chippenham and Swindon.

Some services will be thinned out, eg Bristol -Westbury (and beyond) services will be just 2 per hour to Trowbridge, the Cardiff service and 1 instead of 2 locals per hour (but intervals are not exactly 30 minutes)

At moment realtimetrains is suggesting a couple of early trains eg 1F01 Bristol-Portsmouth and 2O19 Gloucester-Southampton are still calling at Westbury, but maybe these haven't been updated yet.



Replacement buses are planned between:

• Trowbridge and Westbury, Frome or Salisbury
• Chippenham and Westbury or Frome

Some local buses, 24, X34, 49, D1, D2, can be used free of charge, but not some others eg the D1X (Warminster - Trowbridge - Bath) or the 271-273 (Melksham - Bath)

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Thank you all, especially @Snow1964 for the dates details.

Most interesting; but still a bit confused as the GWR website seems to be suggesting some weekend disruption in November through Westbury in addition to what is listed above?

 

[Benjwri]

Thank you all, especially @Snow1964 for the dates details.

Most interesting; but still a bit confused as the GWR website seems to be suggesting some weekend disruption in November through Westbury in addition to what is listed above?

There are separate works on the 10th November. These are smaller, and only affect things going on the line south towards Castle Cary. Trains between Westbury and Bristol, and Cardiff and Portsmouth will still run. (Although Portsmouth services only to Southampton due to separate engineering.

Timetables for the November works are in journey planners.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I'm also seeing works listed for the 2nd, 3rd and 9th November affecting Westbury?

Reading all the above, there don't seem to be any diversions that would give any rare track on any of the dates - but the second half of November, early part of December would avoid any disruption at all in the area?

 

[Snow1964]

I'm also seeing works listed for the 2nd, 3rd and 9th November affecting Westbury?

Reading all the above, there don't seem to be any diversions that would give any rare track on any of the dates - but the second half of November, early part of December would avoid any disruption at all in the area?

I missed one earlier, Westbury-Newbury also has a Tuesday-Thursday closure 10-12 Dec

Frome -Westbury is affected Sunday 10 Nov
Warminster-Westbury is also affected Sunday 15 Dec
Both with replacement buses

2-3 Nov no trains Warminster to Salisbury/Southampton

23-24 Nov the Portsmouth services run via Eastleigh instead of Southampton

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Right... the reason I'm asking is my wife wants to get the track in the area... so in the absence of any unusual track being available through any of the diversions, we're better off avoiding the engineering altogether aren't we?

She needs Romsey to Westbury, the Frome loop and the Weymouth line, so I'm looking at Waterloo - Southampton - Westbury on a Friday, two nights in a hotel in Westbury and then doing the Weymouth service, which seems to also get the Frome loop in, on the Saturday as an out and back.

This looks like I should aim for the 15th / 16th / 17th November or the 29th / 30th / 1st November - December?

 

[Dunfanaghy Rd]

What effect will this have on the proper trains - to and from the quarries?
Pat

 

[Peter Mugridge]

What effect will this have on the proper trains - to and from the quarries?
Pat

That's another thing I'm interested in - specifically will it give any unusual photographic opportunities during the main blockade?

 

[Benjwri]

Right... the reason I'm asking is my wife wants to get the track in the area... so in the absence of any unusual track being available through any of the diversions, we're better off avoiding the engineering altogether aren't we?

Unless you need the track between Hawkridge Junction and Westbury Loop East Junction.

Although I would assume they’re going to have to use the crossover just before Heywood Road Junction for the reversal there, so if you’re wanting to go that in depth that is a very rare piece of track.

 

[Chingy]

What effect will this have on the proper trains - to and from the quarries?
Pat

The Mendip quarries are shut down over Christmas until 6th January anyway. For the 2 and a bit weeks in January when the quarries are operating and Westbury is shut it’s will essentially be as follows;

- B&H traffic will continue using the B&H as normal. Avoiding line still open.
- Oxford & Appleford traffic currently routed via Melksham will instead be routed via B&H.
- Southern traffic will go into the cement works from quarries via avoiding line, stable if necessary, then depart from Cement Works and go via East Loop, Trowbridge, Swindon, Reading West, Basingstoke, Eastleigh and so on.
- Bassett will do the same, ie start from the Cement Works and be shunted to/from Merehead as convenient.
- Avonmouth the same, start from Cement Works.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Unless you need the track between Hawkridge Junction and Westbury Loop East Junction.

Although I would assume they’re going to have to use the crossover just before Heywood Road Junction for the reversal there, so if you’re wanting to go that in depth that is a very rare piece of track.

Probably better off trying to find a railtour for that than chance it on where exactly they reverse isn't it...?

 

[Benjwri]

Probably better off trying to find a railtour for that than chance it on where exactly they reverse isn't it...?

Ehhh I mean they are reversing at the junction, so unless they’re putting a slip switch in they will be using the crossover.

Not entirely sure you’re every going to find a rail tour that needs to use that crossover, reversing on the B&H isn’t something it’s usually possible to do.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Ehhh I mean they are reversing at the junction, so unless they’re putting a slip switch in they will be using the crossover.

Not entirely sure you’re every going to find a rail tour that needs to use that crossover, reversing on the B&H isn’t something it’s usually possible to do.

Hmmm... I don't go to Quail level and this sounds like that sort of thing to me?

 

[Benjwri]

Hmmm... I don't go to Quail level and this sounds like that sort of thing to me?

Yeah as I say, if you don’t care about the specific crossover it won’t bring anything rare. You can get the avoiding curve usually at least once a year when the line between Bath and Didcot is closed.

 

[The exile]

Note that some of the services above also have other closures along part of their route in the few weeks before and after

• Bristol - Bath - Westbury - Sunday 27 to Thursday 31 October

And as a double whammy, signs have just gone up on the A4 between Bath and Keynsham giving advance notice of delays due to gas main works from 25th October for (I think) 10 days. You couldn’t make it up!

 

[Snow1964]

And as a double whammy, signs have just gone up on the A4 between Bath and Keynsham giving advance notice of delays due to gas main works from 25th October for (I think) 10 days. You couldn’t make it up!

These sort of works are supposed to be coordinated and are sent to statutory consultees in advance who can object because of clashes, clearly someone wasn't paying attention in BANES highways or Network Rail, or Bus Operator

 

[Benjwri]

These sort of works are supposed to be coordinated and are sent to statutory consultees in advance who can object because of clashes, clearly someone wasn't paying attention in BANES highways or Network Rail, or Bus Operator

Given how recently these roadworks were added to systems I would hazard a guess they are emergency gas works.

 

[The exile]

Given how recently these roadworks were added to systems I would hazard a guess they are emergency gas works.

Fourteen days out seems to show a remarkable lack of urgency for an emergency. If it can wait till the 25th October then surely it can wait till the 1st November.

 

[Benjwri]

Fourteen days out seems to show a remarkable lack of urgency for an emergency. If it can wait till the 25th October then surely it can wait till the 1st November.

Yeah not saying it’s ideal, more that they probably didn’t have time to consult. Obviously they should’ve checked before organising but I can’t say I’m surprised that the utility company didn’t, given the ones in the area’s history.

 

[The exile]

Yeah not saying it’s ideal, more that they probably didn’t have time to consult. Obviously they should’ve checked before organising but I can’t say I’m surprised that the utility company didn’t, given the ones in the area’s history.

So what is the body that can even now say: “You must postpone until 1/11” - or explain to the rail passengers caught on RRBs in the chaos why they didn’t?

 

[Snow1964]

So what is the body that can even now say: “You must postpone until 1/11” - or explain to the rail passengers caught on RRBs in the chaos why they didn’t?

Basically any of BANES highways (who maintain A4 on behalf of DfT) or bus operator (who might suddenly find need 50% more buses to compensate for longer journeys, or possibly Network Rail, but I am not 100% sure

 

[The exile]

Basically any of BANES highways (who maintain A4 on behalf of DfT) or bus operator (who might suddenly find need 50% more buses to compensate for longer journeys, or possibly Network Rail, but I am not 100% sure

Can’t imagine either First or Network Rail have powers to tell the gas people to postpone their work.

 

[Benjwri]

So what is the body that can even now say: “You must postpone until 1/11” - or explain to the rail passengers caught on RRBs in the chaos why they didn’t?

Having done a bit of research it seems the date was selected because it is during school holidays, and therefore will minimise traffic chaos in that respect.

 

[The exile]

I doubt the reduction in school traffic (itself countered by an increase in leisure traffic) is enough to offset the effect of the A4 having to absorb a large proportion of the Bristol - Bath rail traffic. Particularly south of the river alternatives are in very short supply.

 

[Chingy]

When I travel between Bristol/Keynsham & Bath by car, I never use the A4 through Saltford anyway. It’s always congested and slow.

Slightly longer admittedly, but I often go up Keynsham Road to Markesbury and back down towards Corston on the A39. Not much time difference at all and much easier drive.

 

[The exile]

When I travel between Bristol/Keynsham & Bath by car, I never use the A4 through Saltford anyway. It’s always congested and slow.

Slightly longer admittedly, but I often go up Keynsham Road to Markesbury and back down towards Corston on the A39. Not much time difference at all and much easier drive.

In this case, depending on exactly where the gas works are, the Globe roundabout (which is where one set of the signs is) may be in the snarled up bit.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

The entirety of Westbury Station will be closed, along with the line through Warminster. Trains will spin at Trowbridge, Salisbury and Frome, depending on their route. There will be very limited service to Melksham, and the line between Westbury and Salisbury for the entire period.

The avoiding line will remain open, with London trains calling at Frome instead of Westbury.

There will also be a limited number of services which divert by reversing at Heywood Road Junction.

Its going to be fun at Frome, especially with the station only having one platform.

I have a mate who lives in the town and she said to me that its a shame that there isn't a Frome Central located at the rear of the Cheese & Grain as such a station would have been useful at times like this.